Mexican Hat Dance

Oh, Americans dance on a dance floor

And the Spaniards, they dance on a table

And the Russians, they dance on a saber

But the Mexicans dance on their hats

Oh, they dance on hot coals in Calcutta

In Wisconsin, they dance on fresh butter

Which they squeeze from one cow or another

Yes, the Mexicans dance on their hats (olé)

There are Mexicans dancing on derbies

There are Mexicans dancing on caps

They just throw their fedoras wherever the floor is

And start doing horas and taps

They won't quit

They go on

It's a Mexican custom to take hats and bust 'em

By doing a dance thereupon

Oh, the reason they shot Pancho Villa

Was he danced on his mother's mantilla

And the message did not reach Garcia

He was out somewhere dancing on hats (olé)

There's a fellow in West Acapulco

The most elegant man you could meet

He does sambas on hombergs to tunes of Sig Romberg's

And sometimes the Nutcracker Suite

So take care

So beware

Or they'll put castanets on and ruin your Stetson

'Cause they all think they're Fred Astaire

If you're ever in Mexico proper

And you're wearing a straw hat or topper

When the band starts to play, call a copper

'Cause by now you should know that they'll grab your chapeau

And they'll stomp 'til it's flat

And that's that

That's what Mexicans do on your hat (ole)